Moments in Time
by Sethoz
Summary: There are moments in time that change us. Tiny moments. Huge moments. Dr. Daniel Jackson and Colonel Jack O'Neill have life changing moments just like the rest of us. -Fin-


**Disclaimer:-** Okay, it's set before the movie and during it, so slight spoilers for that. Also mentions Sarah, so some understanding of who she is would help. Pandora is mentioned. She was the first woman in Greek myth and opened a box which allowed all the evil of the world to fly out. She closed it, trapping hope inside before letting that out as well. But I'm sure you guys knew that already. Thanks to Anna and Riantiata, and everyone at AllThingsStargate group for helping me with my question. This isn't really a proper

story, but I'm trying to write through a huge, massive, big writers block and this is what I came up with. Don't own Stargate blah, blah, blah. Mentions of Daniel/Sarah, Daniel/Sha're and Jack/Sara.

**Moments in Time.**

The room smelt of cigarettes and stale beer.

He had known from the moment the stone had collapsed on his parents that they were never coming back. He had just known it. The young boy had watched numbly from behind his glasses as the workers had frantically dug away, shouting down at his parents.

"Dr. Jackson! Can either of you hear me?" There was no answer, and Daniel knew there would be no answer, because you could only live though something like that if you were a mythical beast. So he waited, the tears unable to come, watching, waiting. They took him to the room that smelt of cigarettes and stale beer and he had stared out of the window at the little bird singing it's heart out.

The tune was so cheerful and full of life as Daniel sat there, suddenly hating that bird and hating it's song. He hated it because it was happy and alive. It was then that the doctor had entered the room and explained to him that his parents were... asleep. Even then, Daniel hadn't cried, he hadn't done anything really.

He had just sat there watching and hating the bird, while the over powering aroma of fags and booze had drifted into every pore of his body.

_:::_

The room smelt of sweat and tears.

It was the sickly scent of boys sweat, mingling with the salty tears that ran down his face as he sat alone. Daniel hadn't cried when the boys had hit him, oh no. He hadn't allowed himself to cry when they had laughed at him, called him names, or punched him in the stomach. Daniel had held it all in, until he was alone in the locker room, his baggy clothes hanging off his thin frame.

Then he had cried. He had cried for the first time since his parents death, though it had been six years ago. He hadn't cried when nick had turned him away, he hadn't cried when every family had returned him as if he was some unwanted item. The sadness and dispare had welled up inside of him day after day, until, finally, he was unable to hold it back anymore and the tears had slipped past his defense. The teenager cried and cried until the pain had been washed away by the tears.

He didn't cry again for a long time after that.

_:::_

The room smelt of dusty old books and tea.

This was it. Daniel was sure of it. This was the answer. How could no-one have spotted it before? It was so clear to him, so blindingly clear. They were older. They were much older. They had to be, but how? The young Doctor of Archeology lay the stone table back on the table of the library. It was a start. There was so much more he needed, but the idea had been planted in his mind like a seed. And like a seed it grew. And grew. Slowly the idea blossomed into theories. But back then, in that library, on that day it was just a start.

_:::_

The room smelt of hot coffee and disinfectant.

The lone occupant in the room looked so much older than his actual age as he stared ahead at the blank wall, his shoulders stiff, his head held high. He looked every inch the military Colonel and that was no surprise, because that was what he was. But not today. Today he was a father. A father who was close to losing his only child and it was all his fault. If only he hadn't left his gun where it could be found... if only...

A slow footstep could be heard outside the room and Jack O'Neill turned his entire body, watching the door, prying that whoever was outside wouldn't come to this room. It was a selfish thought, wishing the bad news on someone else but Jack didn't care. A second set of footsteps could be heard, light running steps, the shoes making a tip tapping sound as the owner clattered down the hallway, heading towards Jack. Before the heels could reach him though, the door had opened and a doctor had stepped through – a doctor with a defeated look on his face. Jack could only stare at the man in shock as Sara ran up to the room. Neither needed to be told the truth, the terrible truth and Sara sank to the ground as Jack stormed out the room. His little boy was dead.

_:::_

The room smelt of air freshers and nerves.

Daniel nervously thumbed through his notes, reminding himself of his lecture he was about to give, even though he didn't need to. Each and ever word was burned into his brain, the lines buzzing around his mind and refusing him rest. He had tried to put his theories out of his mind, to forgot about his ideas but they allowed him no rest, no escape. He had tried, oh he had tried so hard, for Sarah's sake if no-one else's but in the end he had given in to the ideas and written this lecture with the full intention of reading it. It had cost him Sarah.

He only hoped it didn't cost him anything else.

_:::_

The room smelt of warm sand and death.

The two men in the room glared at each other, and it was the younger, the man who had never been able to keep the happiness that he so desperately sought after, that was still trying after all this time. Dr. Daniel Jackson faced Colonel Jack O'Neill and there was no fear in his voice at facing this military hard man, just anger and the hope of reaching him.

"I don't want to die, your men don't want to die. These people here don't want to die. It's a shame you're in such a hurry to."

And in that moment something changed. Something small, something indefinable. It could have been anything. Daniel – if he had thought about it – would have said it was the thing left in the box by Pandora all those long years ago that had finally been let into the room.

Hope.

_:::_

The room smelt of life and wine.

Daniel sat next to his wife, his wonderful wife and smiled, and for the first time for as long as he could remember he was content with himself. Jack O'Neill has his remaining men had left through the Stargate a few hours ago and Daniel liked to think that maybe, just maybe he had helped O'Neill in some way. Given him a reason. A reason to carry on.

On the other side of the galaxy, another room smelt of life and wine.

Jack O'Neill sat next to his best friend and smiled, and, for the first time since the death of his son, he felt almost content with himself. He had left Daniel Jackson on the other side of the Stargate a few hours ago and the Colonel liked to to think that maybe, just maybe he had helped Jackson in some way. Given him confidence. Confidence that he was more than just a geek.

Maybe this little moment in time wasn't all bad.

**::Fin::**

There you have it, hope people enjoyed it, please leave a review and let me know what you think.

Sethoz


End file.
